Hellish battle footage takes you into the combat zone

Helmet cam takes you to the battle frontline2:04

AN AMERICAN SOLDIER equipped with a helmet cam offers this unique perspective from the frontline in Afghanistan?s Kunar Province. Before the camera stops rolling, he is hit four times by enemy fire. VISION: http://www.youtube.com/user/FUNKER530

REMARKABLE raw helmet-cam combat footage recorded by a US soldier shot four times in an firefight with the Taliban shows modern warfare in all its hi-tech savagery.

Reminiscent of the first-person shooter viewpoint popularised by computer games such as Call of Duty and Halo, this is real war as you’ve never seen it before.

In an intense clip released by YouTube channel Funker530, an unidentified US soldier takes viewers inside a dangerous battle in Kunar Province, Afghanistan.

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

The channel was set-up by a Canadian Afghanistan war veteran to share footage he captured on his seven-month tour.

Soon other soldiers began sharing their frontline videos; the channel now has 50 million views.

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

The latest incredible video captures a brave US soldier’s dangerous assault on a Taliban position as recorded in real-time via his helmet-mounted camera.

The video begins with the trooper taking incoming fire while on the ridge of a mountain.

"We were doing overwatch on the village to recon and gather intel," said the soldier in an interview with Funker530.

"I was point heading down the face of the hill with the LT [Lieutenant] when we got hit."

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

After discharging and then changing his gun's ammunition magazine, the soldier shouts to his comrades that he is moving down on the enemy position.

"The rest of the squad was pinned down by machine gun fire," he recalled.

"I didn't start the video until a few mins into the fire-fight for obvious reasons."

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

"I came out into the open to draw fire so my squad could get to safety."

Moving quickly down the exposed mountain while bullets begin to hit the rocks around him, the soldier soon realises the predicament of his position and tries to scramble to a safer spot while taking incoming fire.

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

Reaching the apparent protection of a rock, his gun is knocked out of his hands by a direct hit.

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

"A round struck the tube by my hand of the 203 grenade launcher which knocked it out of my hands,” he said.

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

As the bullets fly, the trapped soldier repeatedly calls for help before flicking his gun back into his hands.

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

“When I picked the rifle back up it was still functional but the grenade launcher tube had a nice sized 7.62 cal bullet hole in it and was rendered useless."

The footage ends suddenly, but remarkably the soldier managed to escape and return home safely.

"I got a hit a total of four times," said the soldier.

"My helmet cam died and I made it down the mountain on my own. I was also hit in the side of my helmet and my eye pro was shot off of my face.”

Afghanistan firefight videoSource:Supplied

Funker530 is an ongoing project documenting the war in Afghanistan by a former Canadian machine gunner.

"I started the channel with about 100 videos of my tour in Afghanistan shot by myself and other guys in my company," said Funker530.

As the combat footage channel’s popularity grew, other soldiers began sharing their frontline videos.

"For a lot of the guys sharing and viewing combat footage is somewhat therapeutic,” said Funker530.

“It helps knowing that there are other people who understand what you went through".

As modern warfare becomes ever more technological, civilians back home are seeing much more of the wars being fought in their name.

While his channel revels in the excitement of combat, Funker530 says the videos are valued by families of serving military personnel, helping them understand the demands of modern warfare.

Military MindsSource:Supplied

As well as managing his channel, Funker530 produces documentary films for the post-combat support group Military Minds, which is raising awareness of the PTSD (post traumatic stress) experienced by many soldiers.

A series of powerful one-on-one interviews with returned soldiers captures the difficulties many face returning to civilian life.

Funker530s YouTube channel has more than 200,000 subscribers, with videos viewed over 50 million times.